Kissing the Fox
by Lady Yami
Summary: AU. Sakura is your average civilian bartender. Soon, her sweet infatuation with a hooded regular at her bar explodes into a real romantic mess, when she discovers he is indeed one of the feared Konoha ANBU. [NaruSaku]Chp 4 up!
1. The Local Enigma

Kissing the Fox

By: Toki

AN: Yay, my first NaruSaku fic. I have about five million KakaSaku fics on my hard drive that will never see the light of publicity. Why? Because they suck. So there. Now, that doesn't mean this is much better, but oh well. So basically, like I said--NaruSaku. Sakura's a bartender in the Fire Country. Naruto's a Konoha ANBU. They meet. Stuff happens. And by stuff, I mean fluffy stuff and _stuff. _(cackle)

Now, I wanted to keep Sakura in character, but it was hard. At first, she'll be a little on the shy side...but she kinda goes regular Sakura later. Sorry. It is hard, though. .a; Same with Naruto. But remember that Naruto's a little ecchi. Plus, look who his sensei is. XD If that doesn't say something, then you should be fed to the Shukaku. :o (feeds Gaara plushie)

While this is not my first lemon, this is my first lemon to go public, and my first fic on AFF.N. +.+; At least it will be. So please, for the love of Ninja Jesus, be gentle in your critisicsms. I don't have a beta at the moment, either. (sniffle)

Disclaimer: I OWN NARUTO.

Hidden Village of Lawyers and Copyrights: ATTACK, ANBU SQUADS!

Suekage: RAWR! DX 

OKAY SO I DON'T. (FLEES LAWYER-NINS)

xXx

Death. Death to those who desert. Death to those who turn their back on their own country. Death to the traitors. Death to the secret-breakers. The ANBU hunter nin will hunt you down until your breath stops and your body turns cold.

xXx

The local enigma was there again.

A hooded man starred into the bottom of his beer bottle, trying to find answers. Dark-clothed and quiet, strands of his gold hair were blinding at a distance. The regulars at the Aotsuki bar were both attracted and repelled by him. Tourists were confused, maybe weary of him. The denizens of the Fire Country knew better however, and kept a respectful distance from him. Lost in his thoughts, he finished the beer in one impressive, breathless gulp. A waitress stepped up carefully to him.

"R-refill, sir?"

"Yes, please." He didn't look at her, but held the bottle out. She took it delicately, as if afraid to brush fingers with him. Carrying it carefully back to behind the counter, Ino giggled as she leaned to whisper to a one Haruno Sakura.

"I did it. You owe me."

The pink-haired girl-woman sighed, lifting ten dollars from behind her apron. "I told you. He's not a ninja. He's just...quiet."

"Sureee," Ino rolled her eyes as she fetched another bottle from the cooler. She returned, reading the label. "Damn. This is expensive shit. Maybe he's a ninja-doctor?" This got a giggle from both of them.

"Fixes your wounds, and then kills those who inflicted them upon you"! Sakura laughed, polishing a glass. Ino snorted into her own beer, taking another quick sip before turning to attend to a customer on the other end of the bar.

_I've been working here three years now, haven't I? It seems like a dream. I'll be twenty soon. Twenty years old...and still a virgin. A boy-friend-less one._

She began cleaning the glass ferociously. Ino laughed from the other end of the bar. Stupid Ino-pig. With her long beautiful blonde hair. And her non-existent waist...Pif pif pif. Sakura snorted, driving the rag into the glass further, seeking to slay the invisible menace that dared make her glasses not-sparkly. Damn damn damn. She hadn't even had ONE boyfriend. She was always working. Even now that she had her comfortable little apartment and a steady job, her luck with the men was still shitty. The regulars at the bar were nice enough...but they were just so...regular. And a lot of them are married. _Nuh-uh, darlin. Not gonna deal with the karma that comes from breaking up a marriage. Like I'd do it anyway, even if--_

"Excuse me"?

Squeek squeekity squeek squeek. Keep cleaning the glass. She continued to be lost in her thoughts. _Hrm anyway. Like, let's see...what do I want in a guy? Nice looking, doesn't have to be gorgeous--beautiful guys are usually fucked up anyway..._Squeeky squeeky. She raised the glass to look through the bottom--and saw Enigma guy!

"Ohmigod! S-sorry"! She laughed, putting the glass down.

She couldn't read his expression under the hood, but he didn't seem angry. "Don't worry. I had three beers." His voice was a pleasant tenor, not without youth, but perhaps a bit too soft for the twenty-something year old she thought he may be.

"Fifteen dollars, please." She said sweetly. He handed her some bills. Ino was watching, a look of interest and concern spreading across her face. Sakura sighed, and took the cash from his hand casually, not plucking it out of his hand quickly like everyone else did. "Change?"

"Keep the tip for yourself, Miss," he said politely, and then turned to walk away.

"Ki o tsukete"! She called after him, grinning maliciously at Ino, who looked constipated.

"Take care yourself." He waved back, and then he was gone. Sakura noticed the bar became clouded with chatter yet again. Ino rushed up to her, giggling.

"Just molest him already,whooooreeee," she chided.The pink-haired girl rolled her eyes.

"You wish.What do you wanna do, add a strip tease option to the bar? _Have five drinks and I'll fondle your hand?"_

There was a series of masculine "Woots"! and whistles, which Sakura turned and stuck her tongue out at. Turning back to Ino, she remember the bills in her hand. She counted. Ten, five, twenty!

_Oh no! A gross miscalculation of tip!_

_'KEEP THE CASH, BITCH! STEVE MADDEN BOOTS, HERE WE COME!'_ Raged Inner Sakura.

"Quiet, you." Sakura said, and earned a strange look from Ino. '_Oh actually. Maybe paying the water bill would be cool, to.' _Inner Sakura pondered after anyway. Inner Sakura was her voice of reason, as well as her voice of "OMFGWTFMATERIELGOODSANDHOTMEN". Yeah. With every good thing there's it's bad, right?

"Ahahaha. You have a secret admirer," the blonde winked."Congratulations. May you rejoice on your yacht, SOAKED IN THE BLOOD OF YOUR ENEMIES"! Ino roared, and the bar laughed along with her. Sakura cracked up anyway. Stupid best friend.

"Well, Ino. I still hear that guy who owns a farm thinks you're cute. I'd bet you'd get along just fine until he killed you and made you into bacon. You are Ino-_pig _after all." She screeched as she dodged a dish towel, her workmate's eyes blazing with anger and laughter. "But seriously, Sakura-chan, that is a massive tip."

"Yeah I know, I'm giving him like fifteen back tomorow. You know...if he's like,here." Ino nodded in agreement.

"But still, that's a pretty cute trick. If he has the cash to burn on expensive beer, then he can probably afford to try and win cute virgins over to the dark side."

Sakura sighed, neatening up the bar. She focused her attention on the series of spills and ring marks as Ino continued rambling. "But it'd be cool if he was a nice guy though, right, hun? About time one of us has a winner."

Sakura scrubbed particularly hard at one spot. The bar was emptying out now, it was nearly midnight, after all. "Yeah...it would be nice, wouldn't it? I wanted to be having kids like five years from now."

"Me to," Ino said, surprising her with her honesty. The two women worked for a while still, until the last of the customers was gone. Finally, when Ino had put up the last of the chairs, she turned to Sakura.

"Alright. Bed time for me. Seeya tomorow, hun."

"G'night, Ino-chan." The blonde waved, the bell tingling as she stepped out the door.

Sakura sighed and put her dish towel down on the counter, finally done. Her tip money, hidden in her apron, crinkled as she leaned against the counter. The bartender propped her head up on her hand, elbow on table, watching the moon from the dusty window. A nice guy. A nice guy that kept his face hidden and tipped in twenties. Maybe he had horrendous acne, or fish lips. She snorted, and for the first time in her life, opened a beer without a friend. It tasted bitter and unfulfilling, and she realized it was just no fun without Ino to get plastered and watch porn with. She took another sip. Hmmm. Maybe, just maybe, she could try talking with him.

Naw. Maybe he'd just turn her away, and she'd blow whatever brownie points she had built up with Enigma-san. Aw. Indecision racing through her mind, she downed the rest of her beer and straightened up. The bar was a fairly small place, but handsome, with deep cherrywood tables and bar, and blue and white cushions on the stools. There were a few tables at the back, and it was always clean and smelt faintly of cigar smoke and the cherry syrup they used in a few of their drinks. She felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips. Her and Ino's baby. They had wanted to do it for the longest time, utterly depressed by the bar scene in their own small town. They had been friends forever, even if they spent a lot of their time bickering and fighting over the same man. They'd develop a crush on a guy simply because the other liked him. Ahh, the good ole' days. She chucked the bottle into the recycling bin as she walked by, grabbing her coat from the hanger. Shrugging into it, she numbly noted the hole on the bottom. Bummer.

It was Spring, but pushing into summer. Her light coat was perfect for the weather that evening, muggy and rainy. She hurried to her little apartment down the street. The Aotsuki was nestled inbetween two large buildings, one a strip club and the other a very expensive resturaunt. The town was a fairly large one for this reason, industrialized with a nice mall and some fast food joints. Her own apartment was a handsome brick building, ivy-laden and homey. The inside was cherrywood, her favorite, with cream-colored curtains. Getting off the lift, she stepped nimbly into her little home. The room off the lift was the main room where she entertained guests, with a large window on the left side. From there, it lead into the kitchen, and to the right of those were some stairs, leading up to the loft, where she slept and sometimes ate if she was feeling particularly lazy. Throwing her coat on the couch she wandered casually to the fridge, where Ino had taped the note _"Where's the lasagna? I WANTED SOME." _Giggling, Sakura pulled it out from it's hiding place in the vegetable drawer. Then, as an afterthought, she scribbled "_Nope, all mine"._ at the bottom of the original note. Though they lived on different floors, they were in and out of eachothers' apartments like they owned them. Peeling the plastic off to set it in the microwave, the pink-haired girls thoughts drifted to Enigma-man again. Maybe someday, she'd see what he really looked like. Knowing her luck, she decided as she took the steaming dish out of the microwave, he'd be old. Or hideously deformed. Or if he WAS handsome, she'd walk into Ino's apartment one day to find him stepping out of her shower naked and gorgeous, or even worse, walk in on them doing it.

Blargh. She took a big bite of the too-hot lasagna, and washed it down quickly with milk.

_Or, you could walk in to find him stepping out of the shower naked and deformed, and blackmail Ino with it, _her Inner self added cheerfully. Yep. Life was good.

xXx

Ten o'clock. Sakura glanced nervously back and forth, trying to find the man around the usual late-night customers. Damn. No sign yet. His usual table was empty. Sighing, the bartender smiled and slid a drink down to a customer, and then turned back---to see the man at his table. AHA. Patting back her meticulously straightened long hair, she checked her makeup in the wine case mirror and went forth, drawing the bills from her front apron.

"Hello. What can I do for you?" She asked, waiting for his usual one-word answers. Surprise surprise, she got a few. That's a good start.

"Evening. I'd like a bottle of Telim...and are you the girlie who I paid last night?"

"Actually, yes. You over tipped me, that's the reason I-"

"I did?" He seemed perplexed. She held out the twenty.

"Five bucks is fine."

He snorted. "Naw keep it. I actually wanted to give you this," he held out a single earring. Her hand flew to her ear. Gone. She'd been walking around like a one-earringed doofus. Oh no!

"Oh my gosh, thanks. I didn't even notice," she cooed, completely embarrassed as she put the earring back in. He gave her a thumbs-up, which was kind of weird. "I've been so out of it lately that I didn't even bother taking them out before I went in the shower so--," she stopped, shy when she realized she was rambling. He chuckled.

"It's no problem. I realized it had dropped into my hood when you bent over to give me a beer yesterday. I only realized it when I got home, so...yeah." He laughed again. She smiled.

"O-oh! Beer! Coming up"! She whacked herself on the foreheaad, and bustled off the to back room. He watched her go, smiling to himself. She seemed like a genuinely nice girl, he thought. At least she wasn't afraid of him. Then again, it's human nature to fear the unknown, right? She came back with his beer, opening it on the edge of the table like a pro and setting it down on the napkin. "Tell me if you need anything else, sir," she smiled, and strode back to the bar where there were waiting customers. Taking a sip of his beer, he felt the liquor move through his veins, attempting to dull his senses. It didn't do much good. He was never really the type to relax. Hard, when you're a ninja. Kind of a stressful lifestyle, and the occupational hazards kind of suck to boot. She smiled at him when she caught him studying her. She was very pretty, he thought, in the sort of lolita-but-I'm-really-not way. Her features were soft, rounded and pink. The other waitress was beautiful, yes, with striking hair and eyes. But he supposed he preferred the other girl, Sakura. She just seemed so much more down to earth. He snorted at memories. Stuck up women. Yeuch.

He watched her hands as she moved around the bar, opening this and polishing that. Soon after he began watching other things, like her thighs and the way her chest pressed lightly against her clothes when she knelt. There was a great rack under there. He could see it. Humming lightly to himself, he took another sip of his beer and starred at the ceiling. What a week. Three missing nin, and to top it off the Uchihas were back. He shuddered. Itachi was bad enough, spamming Tsukiyomi like a motherfuck--and then his brother. Sasuke, his former friend. He took a deep gulp. What. A. Week.

He realized his first beer was already gone. Damn. Never more than three, is what he always told himself. Even the slighest moments hesitation in a fight could mean his demise, especially if one of the Uchihas caught him off guard. Then again, it would take someone special to take him off guard anyway. He reclined in his chair, feeling confident despite all the problems he knew he should be addressing.

The bartender smiled and jostled over to him, balancing a tray beautifully in one hand. "Refill?" She chirped.

"Yeah, sure." He smiled, even though she couldn't see his face. She took it, placed it on the tray, and returned to behind the counter with the blonde, who was looking at him with an appraising look.

He really wanted to smile back at her, perhaps letting a little killing energy seep towards her. She seemed like she had the potential to be a bitch. He played oblivious. Sakura returned with his beer, and he took it from her, noting with pleasure the cherry tinge her cheeks soaked up when their fingers brushed. It couldn't be...could it! A--ah---virgin.

Glee. Popping cherries happened to be one of his favorite hobbies.

"I apologize," he murmured silkily, and Inner Sakura ran around in circles.

"For what? Human contact?" She laughed, hoping the tiny jitter in her voice didn't show, and then took his old bottle. He twisted the cap off with a quick flick of his wrists, watching her retreating frame with alighted blue eyes.

Yum.

xXx

When she arrived home that night, she berated herself for acting like a lovesick schoolgirl around that man. She also burst into hysterics at Ino's simple response to the lasagna note (_Boo, you whore :o). _But, as she stepped out of her dress and began to pull on her slip, she decided she would take the initiative for once in her life. She was sick of being shy of and outspoken, even if she was voracious, she let her social worries get in the way. As much as she tried to deny it, what other people thought of her was always important. It always had been, to. Yawning, she twirled a piece of hair in her hand. Tomorow, operation Get to Know Enigma-san would begin. She snuggled into her covers, eagerly waiting for the next night.

Time to flirt.

xXx

Things went well. Very well, in fact. She talked with Ino a lot at first, listening to the other girl's advice..then dying it down. She tried simple things, commenting on his choice in liquor, asking him about other bars in the area--all profesional. Then of course she moved on to more personal things, lamenting about her apartment leaking, or the rise of cost of living.

After that was physical stuff, a simple touch on the shoulder, an "accidental" brush with her ass to his shoulder, which delighted Ino to no end, and then finally purposely brushing his fingers when they swapped bottles. Before long, they were having semi-fluent conversations.

Politics. Racism. War. Weather. Science. Books. And then a very, very, VERY odd topic came up one night, after Sakura called Ino a ninja for never being around when she was needed.

"Ninjas? Are you afraid of ninjas, Missy?" He laughed, bending to take a sip of his beer. She felt bad, making him drink in a weird pose like that. Though she was perplexed as to why he hid his face, she said nothing.

"Not really. Nope." She grinned, then her look faded. "Actually, yes. There are a lot of bad ones, aren't there?"

Naruto shrugged, silently laughing. "But like, when I was young, around eleven, I got lost in the woods, right?" She said softly, and he felt her mood slip completely. Her voice turned to a hoarse whisper, just audible in the now-empty bar. He had long since been the last customer. "I was so terrified. It was freezing, and it was so dark...," her hands wrung in her lap, then moved up to twirl a piece of silky-looking hair. She smiled weakly, the blank look in her eyes fading. "I had heard there were a lot of those...missing-nin things in those woods. I was trudging along, trying to figure out where I was...and then they showed up."

"They?" His beer sat forgotten. He was eager to hear about her experience with his own people.

"Yeah. They." She licked her lips. "There was like five of them, I think. They were all wearing masks. Probably had been tracking me, trying to figure out if I was a bad guy"

He sucked in a breath.

"ANBU, I think they're called," she pondered, then continued. "They all surrounded me. I wanna make something really clear though, Enigma-san," she said. "With them it was like...I was alone, then I wasn't. I couldn't even hear them step up to me, and I literally almost freakin walked into one."

He hid a chuckle again. "So silent...but yeah. One of them looked at another one...and then...I was so sure I was gonna die--but nope." She stretched. "One of them said 'Lost, I take it?', and I nodded, still totally terrified. And then...it was so sweet, the front guy took off his coat wrapped me up in it, and brought me home."

"That's...quite a story. ANBU? Wow."

She nodded eagerly. "Awful shock for my mom...she'd been talking with the police and then BOOM...I show up at the doorstep, asleep in the arms of an ANBU, of all things," she laughed hard. "Oh man, oh man. Poor mom." She reached across and unabashedly took a swig of his beer. "She said he was kind, though, patted my hair and then just went...poof!" She giggled more. "So yeah. I don't think they're bad people, just mysterious."

He nodded. "It is human instinct--".

"To fear the unknown," she said softly. He smiled under his hood.

"Are you afraid of me, Sakura-san?"

"Sakura-chan," she said sweetly, then replied to his question. "I don't know. Should I be? Are you a scary murderer?"

"Yes,"he replied evenly. He stood, dusting himself off, and realized his own words hurt him. She looked sad.

"Leaving already?" She pouted.

"Did you listen to my answer? I said yes to your question." The hooded man partially snapped. She rose quickly in anger, but ended up bumping her knee on the underside of the table.

"I-itai," she mumbled, rubbing the red spot. He chuckled, his anger ebbing. So cute. He stepped over to her, carefully drawing her away from the table.

"Even everyday objects are lethal weapons around you," he sighed, kneeling to inspect the wound. Silently, she mentally shot herself for telling him tales of her klutziness. "Can I get some napkins from behind the counter? It's bleeding."

She nodded. "Sit down," he commanded, then went to grab the napkins. She played with her hair, realizing how graceful he was. His usual black pants and long black sweater-coat-thing just kind of flowed around him. That's when the thought first hit her.

"_Are you afraid of ninjas?" _His words rung in her head. Oh. My. God. She blinked. Nonononononono. No way. Nothing that cool...or bad could ever happen to her. He crouched again, and she took note of the strands of blonde that peeked out from under his hood.

"You have pretty hair," she said after a couple minutes of him tending her wound in silence. She heard him laugh.

"Oh?"

"Yeah." She felt like a little kid. _Nononono. No time to be shy, bitch. Ask him for his nameeeeeee! NAME! WHO ARE YOU, BLONDE MAN WHO TREATS MY WOUNDS! _Inner Sakura raged. "...Enigma-san."

"Hai."

"...Can I have a name?" He went stiff. "Even if it's not your real name, can I please have something to call you besides that stupid one Ino and I made up for you?" She felt herself going red. But so what.

"Naruto," he said after a moment. "It's my real name. My first name, by the way. I'm Naruto."

She grinned, ear to ear. "That's a good name."

"I suppose," he sighed, then rose. She stood to meet him.

"Another question?"

"Hmm?" He adjusted his clothing, preparing to leave.

"Are you in your twenties?"

"Yes," he laughed. "How'd you know?"

"Your voice," Sakura replied shyly. "Sorry to be nosey, I just wanted to know, Naruto-san."

"Naruto-kun," he mumbled, then finished his beer while standing.

A moment's hesitation, then she felt idiotic while asking "Are you a ninja?" She was serious, but Inner Sakura was cracking up.

He stiffened again, she noticed, but then broke out into full laughter. "What gives you that idea, Sakura-chan?" He asked, liking the informal suffix on her name. She shifted uncomfortably, fixing her bandage.

"Cause...you never show your face, you're really guarded about your personal life--which I don't care about by the way---well I DO care, but that is to say I don't mind you not sharing--". She flushed. "And well, this may sound weird, but you move so gracefully, and your hands are...very callous, I noticed, when we brushed fingers." Inner Sakura mumbled something in glee at this, but was getting increasingly embarrassed. She realized she had been trying to say everything in one breath. "I mean it could be a million excuses as to all of those things, you could be a swordsman-dancer"!

He laughed. Hard. "Swordsman-dancer? Lethal."

Sakura put her hand to her mouth, stifling a giggle. "Yeah...I'm sorry. I must seem like a total idiot."

The blonde finished tying his sweater-coat up.

"Not at all. And now, this blonde enigma must take leave of the lovely pink-haired conveyer of booze." He said smoothly, masking it if he did really think she was a tardass. Sakura fumed.

"You never answered my question!"

He chuckled again as she sweatdropped in defeat. "Well, goodnight, Sakura-chan."

"Night," she sighed back, reaching for him. He caught the hand that meant to touch his shoulder, and kissed her pulse. Her heart palpitated rapidly.

"Oh, and as for your question as to my occupation?"

Green eyes widened.

He went poof.

_...HOLY SHIT, BITCH. _Was all Inner Sakura could manage. Sakura walked robotically walked behind the bar, still looking ahead, reached under the counter, pulled out a small bottle of Absolut Vodka, and downed the bottle.

In the most philosophical manner possible, of course.

AN: Whatcha think? I know I really, really rushed their development as friends or whatever. It's just...I wanted this to move along. To her finding out about him, seeing his face, Naruto not being so OOC...and yes, teh pr0n. I'm thinking third chapter...for the first one. ;D And what of the Uchihas! They'll show up and complicate things with their hotness, I assure you.

Also about ANBU Naruto. Try to imagine Naruto in his early twenties, tallish, and wearing maybe like...a black turtleneck sleeveless shirt, the long black sweater-thing kinda of like what Haku wore, baggy black pants, and black combat boots. His mask, should I ever get around to it, will be the Kitsune mask of course. The Kyuubi DOES come into play in this, to--I swear. (huff huff huff Kitsune laugh) Maybe kind of like teh Yodaime. (Note: Mega yum.)

Reviews appreciated :3 (runs after Jiraiya with 2x4)

Jiraiya: OO (FLEE)

Haha he's like twice my size. XD


	2. Black Eyes

Kissing the Fox

By: Toki

AN: Um, chapter two. :D As a note, I'd like to talk about describing bodies. I find it really, really irritating when every author describes girls bodies as being like absolutely perfect. For example, in this fic, Sakura is a bartender. That means she'd be thin most likely, because she had to keep up her appearance. But not everyone is going to have Victoria's Secret bodies. And though she may be pink-haired and green-eyed, I'm guessing they're all Asian. And not to sound stupid, but Asian girls are normally lucky if they're a B cup. ; So Sakura having no waist and giant boobs would be stupid. However, Naruto being ripped would be perfectly acceptable, since he's a ninja. Were Sakura a ninja in this, she'd be wiry and lithe, to. Also, I forgot that AFF.N doesn't do the whole italics thing in some formats, so sorry if the first chapter where Sakura was thinking to herself got randomly confusing. If it switches to first person, it should be in italics. Sorry, I'll put marks around it from now on. XD;

Reviews help me keep going, and inform me that someone's still reading.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. But boy do I wish I owned NARUTO. Especially after this chapter. (horny fangirl giggle) I wouldn't mind a pet Gaara, either. One that is possibly sex-crazed. Oh no, the Shukaku is out? But what does it want? POOOOONTAAAANG. Send this gal to Suna, baby!

xXx

Sakura went to work in a sort of fluster the next day, her heart pounding so hard she thought it would be a nuisance to other people. Around nine, her nerves were making her so jittery she dropped a glass. The chatter stopped immediately with the crash of glass on the tiles, and mumbling apologies to Ino and the customers, she knelt to pick up the shards, swearing softly when she cut herself. The fragment split the top of her index finger cleanly, spilling red onto ivory.

_'Chikuso, red may be your color, girl, but you shouldn't exactly go bleeding all over the place,' _Inner Sakura mumbled.

"I know, I know," Sakura mumbled in return, finishing picking up the glass and dumping the remains in the trash. She realized the entire bar was staring at her. Sweatdropping, she waved her hand frantically. "I-I'm fineeee," she laughed. "Just not enough sleep. I had a dream a disembodied floating pizza was chasing me down the street." This earned a collective laugh from the bar, and the friendly boasts and chatter built back up to their normal levels. Sakura giggled again as she heard severel people talking about weird dreams they had had to their neighbors. Grabbing a band aid from the little kit under the counter, she placed it on the counter next to the sink, and winced as she washed the wound.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?" Ino slid next to her, putting wine back up on the rack.

"Huh? Yeah. Just a little bit nervy is all." She shook her hands dry of excess water, then carefully put the band aid on.

"Any deeper, and that would have needed stitches," Ino said, holding Sakura's wounded hand to her chest. Her blue-green eyes were cloudy with concern. "You SURE you're okay, Sakura?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine. Just tired, like I said," Sakura chirped, letting her hand drop back to her waist. She took another glass, polishing it. "I'll pay for the glass, sorry. That was one of the nice ones. Just dock seven bucks from my paycheck for a couple weeks, okay?"

Ino nodded her head 'no'. "God knows how many I'VE broken," she chuckled, referring to a few well-concealed gaps in their lineup. "I think you should go home early tonight, hon. You seem a bit out of it."

"Huh..?" Sakura blinked, and earned a pinch from Ino. Her thoughts had drifted back to Naruto, wondering what he was doing. Actually, that was scary. Not like what he was doing, more like who he was killing. "S-sorry, Ino-chan. I'm just a bit...giddy, almost."

Ino's eyebrow raised in question. "Giddy, you say?"

Sakura rolled her eyes, then shuffled closer to Ino who slid a beer down the bar then leaned close to her pink-haired friend. "You see, you know Enigma-san?"

Ino's face split into a wide grin. "Well, we've been talking. And oh my god...he's so like cute, and pretty smart. And he told me he's in his twenties. And his real name."

The blonde's breath came sharply. "Ohmigod! Seriously? What's his real name? What's he do for a living? What's he look like? Did he take off his hood for you?"

"I can't say. I don't know his occupation, specifically, but I think he's some kind of courier. And no, he hasn't taken his hood off for me."

_'Courier, bitch? That the best you could come up with? Well, I guess that would explain his...odd travelling schedule?' _Inner Sakura ponder-yelled.

Ino pouted. "B-but...I thought you two were...", she looked sly. "You know...". Sakura shook her head furiously, then turned to see if their were any waiting customers. None. She resumed her chat with Ino.

"I wish, kinda. But even if it's not that sort of thing, I'm at least happy to have a friend like him." Ino sighed.

"That's your problem though. You need to just take the iniative. Since when have YOU been the shy one? We used to openly proclaim our feelings for a guy at least three times a day, and right to his face." Ino huffed.

"Well, it wasn't like a serious thing then, was it?" Sakura snapped a bit. "We were in high school! But now, I really like this guy. He's just...so...cool." She finished softly. Ino smiled gently, her eyes glittering.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure that you get him."

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "That's what I'm afraid of." She said in unison with her inner self. Dodging a playful smack from the blonde, she stuck out her tongue and spun away gracefully, folding her hands behind her as she looked out the window. "But thank you, Ino. I mean it."

"What're best friends for? But, just so you know," she looked shifty. "If he IS gorgeous, I SO get just-had-glorious-sex-and-he's-asleep pictures." Sakura snorted as she waited on a customer, giggling into her ear when she returned to the back.

"That's CREEPY," she giggled, and gave the customer his beer. Eyes roaming over the bar, she nearly jumped when she saw a dark-clothed figure in Naruto's usual chair. She nearly stepped towards him when she realized this was not her friend, and someone else entirely. In fact, he oozed aggression. From her vantage point just behind the bar, she could see the whitened knuckles clinging to the edge of the table. Biting her nail, she turned to Ino, who was seemingly oblivious.

_'What the...OH NO YOU DON'T, CRACKWHORE. NO MORE MYSTERY MEN FOR YOU.' _Inner Sakura barked.

"Customer," she mumbled under her breath, and stepped towards him carefully, swinging around so he could see her coming. When she reached the table, she stood a good foot from him. "May I help you...sir?"

"A glass of your second finest wine, please." He said softly, and Sakura's heart jumped when she caught what looked like coal-black eyes studying her from shadow. She nodded curtly, returning to behind the counter to fetch his booze. Her heart beat frantically. When she first met Naruto, she was intimidated by him, sure. Still was, in fact. She'd be stupid not to be. Especially now that she knew he was, he was a---. No. Not the time to think about that. Carefully balancing the glass on a tray, she walked back to her customer, and set the glass down. She nearly jumped when she realized he had pulled his hood off. He was beautiful, she thought. Ivory-faced with perfect almond black eyes, and fluffy-soft looking black hair. Swallowing a lump in her throat, she held the tray to her chest, and offered a weak smile.

"If you need anything else, feel free to call me over or come up to the bar." She nearly whispered, shocked and outraged at her own fear. Before, she had always found herself feeling safe behind the bar. Now, it seemed the man's presence swallowed the entire bar, drying her throat and sending her mind to dark places. She realized one of the dark places was the woods from nine years ago. She still had nightmares about it, but they always ended safe and warm in the arms of the ANBU that rescued her. Now, it was a seeping, inescapable cold that seemed to permeate her skin. Like being caught out in the cold- jaw-aching, nose-freezing bitterness. You keep trying to get to the warmth, but the door keeps moving further and further and then---She took a deep shuddery breath, steeling herself. She stole a quick glance at the man. He was sipping his wine, eyes trailing to the ceiling.

Ino moved next to her, to stare longingly at the man. "Beautiful, my God."

"His eyes are the color of the abyss," Sakura said blankly, watching her knuckles bleach on the edge of the counter. Ino glanced over to her best friend.

"Edgy." The blonde said at last, tilting her head to gaze into her best friend's face. "Something happen?" Realization dawned on Ino's face. "MY GOD? IS THAT ENIGMA-SAN!"

Sakura said nothing, but Ino dragged her into the backroom. "OH. MY. GOD. SERIOUSLY? OMIGAWD. WOW. BITCH. HOLY SHIT, YOU ARE A -LUCKY- WHORE"! She giggled hyperactively, raising her hand for a high-five. When Sakura said nothing, Ino's mood fell. "What?"

"That's not him. Enigma-san has blonde hair, it pokes out sometimes. And he doesn't feel...creepy."

Ino sweatdropped, putting her hands on her beautiful hips. "How can someone FEEL creepy?"

"He just...does," Sakura argued, her temper coming back. The numbness was fading now. She straightened her hair. Ino rolled her eyes.

"Whatever. I'm going to pee. You take care of things, or will Mystery-san kill you?"

Throwing a half-hearted punch, Sakura held her head up and strolled out of the back room, holding a bottle of vodka. Yep, nothing to worry about. Just your routine refill. Yep yep. The bar was emptying now. Monday nights were never crowded. All that remained was Creepy, and a couple talking quietly to eachother in the corner. Grabbing an empty bottle from the top of the counter, she chucked it into the recycling bin under the counter, not tearing her gaze from the black-haired man. It bounced back. Grumbling, she went to pick it up--and smashed her head on the counter. Yelping in pain, she took a deep breath and tried hard not to cry. Ow, ow, ow--she had never had much of a tolerance for physical pain. Depositing the satanous empty bottle on the counter, she squinted back tears, pushing around blindly for the door to the bathroom. What she met, however, was the softness of fabric, and the warmth that seeped from it. In other words, a human being. She blinked blood out of her eyes, and partially froze in place when she realized she had her hand curled in the fabric of his shirt, probably right above his nipple. And yes, by his, I mean Mystery-san. GO FUCKING FIGURE.

_'That's it, whore. Grab and TWIST. Then go, "THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING A CREEPY BITCH"!' _Inner Sakura hooted. She released her grip immediately, muttering apologies and blinking back the white spots that were beginning to form behind her eyes.

"S-sorry, I just..agh, I'm um--". She stepped back from him. He said nothing, and then took a small breath, like talking was a chore.

"Bleeding everywhere?" He drawled. She giggled nervously, in serious pain now.

"Hehehehe...yeah. Bleeding happens to be one of my favorite hobbies, actually. Bleedy bleedy bleed bleed bleed ." She stopped laughing, still mumbling expressions of pain under her breath. He quirked an eyebrow, from what she could see.

"I'll give you money, if you promise not to bleed on it," he said wryly, though the smile and joke didn't meet his eyes. They stayed a fathomless black.

'You should ask him if he sold his PUPILS for that wine...or his soul'.

"Hee, dunno if I can keep that promise." She took the money he offered anyway, squinting down at a ten. "C-change?"

"Keep it. And, uh...".

"Thanks! Uh...". She was really feeling naseous now.

"You'll probably have a concussion. You caught your forehead on the edge of the counter," he said softly, and she nearly flew out of her skin when cool fingers touched just above the wound. There was a rustle of fabric, and she felt something soft press to her wound. She closed her eyes automatically, and let him wipe the blood from around her eyelashes and brows. "I noticed you have a bandage on your hand, to. You should be more careful."

She nodded like an idiot, feeling like a little kid. They were alone now, the couple having nervously fled after seeing all the blood. Ino was still doing God knows what. "T-thanks. Been kind of nervy lately. S-sorry that you had to see all this, sir."

He nodded slowly, closing his abysmal eyes. "Blood is not something I'm afraid of." He smiled slowly, and this time it met his eyes. That was wrong all on it's own. If the only time you really smile is when you're talking about blood, you probably have issues. Good rule of life, there. "Plus...it compliments the color of your skin and hair so well." He smiled softly at his own comment, then picked up her hand in his cold one, replacing his with her own. "Perhaps by the time I come back, it'll be healed. Goodnight, miss."

"S-Sakura. And thanks." She waved him out the door, turning back to clean up her mess, and realized she still had the black handkerchief. "Oh-sir--". He was already gone. Sighing and cursing her hideous luck, she went to the back room. Ino chose that moment to burst out of the bathroom, embracing the other girl.

"Whoooo, I got my period. DUDE. I thought I was gonna be Mommy for a couple days there." She laughed, then noticed Sakura's injury. "Whoa! What happened?"

Sakura stuck her tongue out, closing her eyes in embarrassment. "Aha. I smashed my head on the bar like an idiot." Ino sighed, tentatively touching just above the wound. Notcing the cloth in her friends hand, she questioned as to its whereabouts.

"Ah. Mystery-san was coming up to pay just as it happened, and he uh--". Ino took one look at her, then just grinned slowly, looking a bit like Shukaku. Patting the pink-haired girl on the shoulder, she just continued grinning slyly, giving her a slow thumbs up. "Mouuu! Not funny! This really hurtttsss," she whined, stepping out to the main part of the bar where Ino was pulling on her coat. "Plus, I really like...".

Ino giggled. "Sure hun. And remember to empty the recycle bin, otherwise stuff just pops back out when you throw it in there." Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but Ino ran out the door cackling. Sighing in defeat, she tucked the hankie into the front of her apron and grabbed the offending bin from under the counter. It was heavy, and jangled loudly. She penguin-walked to the door, mumbling about hernias, and deposited it outside. Coming back inside, she grabbed her coat from the rack, and shook her fist at the bottle of vodka that had caused this atrocity. Flicking off the lights, she turned and locked the place behind her. It was well after midnight now, and she was ready to get home. Halfway through her homeward journey, she began to feel a sense of foreboding creep up her spine. Maybe it was the black-eyed man, or maybe it was the fact that Naruto hadn't come to visit her that night.

Did he visit her though? Or was she just entertainment while he drank? Some voice told her no. If he really was a ninja, he wouldn't tell just anyone. And he DID kiss her on the wrist. She raised the limb to eye level, eyeing the pale blue vein. Nope. Didn't look any different. She flexed it. Didn't feel too different, either. There was a sort of shockwave up her back, and she turned, expecting air---and crashed into a cloaked man. Opening her mouth to scream, she tried to think back to all her cheesy self defense classes. Oh shit. Knee him in the balls. THE BALLS. BALLSSSS---

"Hiiii, Sakura-chan!"

Blink blink. "N-Naruto-kun?" A gloved hand reached up and plucked at blonde strands. Yep. She sighed, her body going limp. "My GOD, you scared me." She turned, beckoned for him to follow. He did, gliding soundlessly along side her. With her occasional stumble and slow pace, she felt like Igor to his Johnny Depp. "So...what's up?" She folded her hands in front of her, her purse hanging from her shoulder. He shrugged.

"Nothing really. Was heading home, and decided to see if you were dying. And um...I guess you are?" He laughed. She blinked. He prodded her forehead gently, and her skin buzzed at the contact. "Another battle with an inanimate object?"

"Yeah, I got my ass kicked. Like, the bottle distracted me and fell, then the counter loomed out of nowhere and punched me in the face." She pouted. "It sucked." He laughed heartily. Becoming a bit daring, she nudged him ever so gently. "Where were you to protect me?"

"Oh, you know. Running around. Stabbing things. The usual." She laughed, though she felt a bit unsettled. "Ah, I'm sorry if I scared or scare you...I really didn't mean to, last night. I mean, I kind of just did what I felt like."

'So that means he WANTS to do it. Nice! Now...Grab his butt while his guard is down'. Inner Sakura advised wisely, and Sakura wondered if perhaps Inner Ino had been influencing her. She shifted, a blush spreading across her face. "N-no. Well, I would be lying if I said I wasn't afraid of you. But...I feel like I know you, at least a bit."

He sighed, shrugging his hood back. She gasped, jumping back a bit. A bone-white mask hung over his face, milky porcelain catching the moonlight perfectly. The eyes were blank holes, and an eerie fox grin adorned it. "Unnerving, isn't it?" He said softly, and let her run a finger down it.

"I don't like it. It's smiling."

"A mocking thing, to the enemy."

"Ah," she said, and there was silence for a moment, then, "Anonymity is a powerful thing. Have you ever read The Lord of the Flies"?

"Can't say I have. I don't' like reading."

"Ah, but...a mask is a beautiful thing. It breaks the chains of civilization, the morals the remind you that killing and whatnot is wrong... lets you do things you normally wouldn't. It hides fear, it hides joy, and it hides tears." She took her finger from it, feeling like an idiot. He hadn't replied.

_'If we were on AIM, he'd totally be like 'um, lolz?'' _Inner Sakura sighed. "Er, um. Sorry, Naruto-kun. Sometimes I just say weird shit, and--", she was stopped in the middle of her sentence as they arrived on the shady end of her street, and he carefully unfastened his headband from the top of his head.

"Wear this for a second, Sakura-chan," he laughed, and strapped it around her head. She flushed at the closeness, his collarbone pressing lightly against her chin.

_'GO FOR THE BUTT. YOU COULD PROBABLY BOUNCE A QUARTER OFF IT. THIS GUY IS RIPPPPPPPPPPED'._

She touched it gently, feeling the sunk-in lines of the Konoha leaf symbol. She knew enough about the symbols, at least. Carefully then, he steered her to the shady corner of the street, under the awning of a blank-windowed closed shop. "An--anonymity, whatever it is. You say it can basically allow you to do anything you want, right?"

"Right."

He titled his head at her, the fox-ness of the gesture only accented by the mask. "Anything I feel like?"

"Yep," she chirped, feeling slightly confused. He ran his hand to her shoulder, and she nearly jumped as he leaned close, pushing her up against the wall. "Erm, Naruto-kun..?"

"Anything I want...," he pondered, then quick as a blur, pulled down the headband over her eyes. Confused, she opened her mouth to protest, but went boneless as he kissed her. He was incredibly gentle, going slowly so as not to alarm her. She slipped into a shocked silence as they pulled apart, and he nuzzled her neck, inhaling her scent. "That's the tip of the iceberg, by the way," he murmured softly. She said nothing, waiting for her stomach to catch up with her heart A tear streamed down her cheek from under the headband. Confusion wracked her already frazzled mind, breaking into deadly clarity when she felt his tongue dance lightly along her cheek. "No tears, Sakura. Please," he whispered into her neck, kissing the ivory flesh again. Taking a deep. shuddering breath, she spoke. Reluctantly bringing his head back, he fitted the mask back on. Gently, he untied his headband from around her forehead, fastening it back around his own head, over the top of the mask.

"U-um." She played with a strand of her hair. "D-do y-you like me or something?" She asked, feeling like a little kid yet again.

_'Do you like meeeeee? Wanna share crayoooooooons?' _Her Inner Self mocked, but was really waiting for his next response. His large, deadly hand came up to cup her face. She leaned into it, closing her green eyes. This was kind of how she had imagined her first important confession. But, you know...without the ninja. And the creepy mask. And then there was, oddly, the sense of sadness creeping up around both of them. Foreboding, maybe.

"Y-yeah. You know, for a long time. I thought it was just a friends thing, but the night you told me about when you got lost, I just...". She raised her head in question, not used to him sounding flustered. She realized his ears were red. Aww! "I just hated you looking so blank-eyed and sad. I just decided, at that moment, I wanted to make sure you never had that expression written on your face again." She twitched once, then, slowly, raised her arms. He stepped into them, pressing her close. Even though it had only been a few weeks since she started liking him, she felt as though she had been waiting forever for this moment. Sakura laid her head sideways on his chest, noting the fact that her Inner Self was right. His body, opposed to hers, was a series of long, hard planes. His arms, though thin, were corded lightly, a single vein twisting lightly down one.

"U-um. Me to. I felt like, if you really trusted me like that, with such a secret...and I'm still alive," she giggled. "I guessed that I must have meant more than a friend. Or at least a very good one," she added as an afterthought, absentmindedly running her fingers through his hair. It was such a beautiful texture and color, even outweighing Mystery-san's.

"Idea," he said. He pulled back from her gently, grabbing her own hand in his. "You live in the brick building, right?"

She nodded. "U-uhm, s-seventh f-floor."

"Can I come up for just a bit? I want to uh...talk," he asked, wrapping his big fingers around her small hand. She nodded weakly, and let him lead her gently to her home.

She realized, that for the first time, she wasn't going to go home to an empty apartment.

xXx

AN: I know this is a bit shorter, but I want to keep them concise before my text sort of sludges together. XD; Thank you for the kind feedback. Originally, chapters 2 and 3 were one, but I decided to split them up. Next chapter is limey. If lemoney. I know that his relationship is moving along at a very unrealistic pace, but uh...who the fuck cares:D 3 If you'll excuse me, I have an S-Class mission to attend to - High school. (puts on her ANBU mask, which is actually just a paper plate with a mean face scribbled on it, and runs into myst)

Reviews and constructive ways of telling me I suck are appreciated. Now if only I could find a beta...a;


	3. That Line

Kissing the Fox

By: Toki

AN:D Chapter 3. Thanks for the kindness, yet again. This chapter is porntastic, so get out if you don't like it. Well it's not a full lemon anyway. And I doubt you'd be on this site if you disliked smut. Rofl. Also in this chapter, I have tried to make Naruto a little more...Naruto-ish. He's being more himself around Sakura, git it? However, he will remain slightly more badass throughout. Remember that Naruto takes place when he's like...fifteen. He's like twenty-one in this fic. (looks shifty)

Also this isn't spell checked or beta, since I rushed it on. Laptop broken, sorry. Dx And stupid AFF downtime. I hope this is the right chapter LOL.

Thanks:3 And REMEMBER TO REVIEW.

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto. But I did steal a lock of his hair for a Voodoo ritual that will hopefully make him real and very much infatuated with me. Because, let's face it--that's the only way I'm gonna get a ninja to notice me. ;;

x x x X x x x

_'BOW CHICA BOW BOW. CHICA CHICA BOW BOW. CHICI WIKKI WIKKI BOW BOW. WAO WAO WAO---' _Inner Sakura let out a screeching 70s porn music guitar solo. Stiffling a giggle, she quickly turned serious as they hiked up the steps to her building, his fingers still wrapped around hers. Walking through the lobby, Sakura stepped carefully into the elevator, pushing the button. Naruto said nothing, squeezing her hand tighter when the elevator dinged and opened to her apartment. Sakura let go at once, feeling at a loss, but determined none the less.

"Um...tea?"

"Sounds good," he laughed, though it was still a bit weird with the mask. She deposited her coat on the couch as she went into the kitchen, oblivious as the ANBU captain watched her make tea. Clearly, his thoughts were not of tea.

Maybe Ramen, though.

The kettle whistled after a couple minutes. She glanced back at him. He was exploring her livingroom, hands folded behind his back as he bent to peer at pictures or check out the view from the massive two story window that dominated the eastern wall. She poured the tea, and set it on a tray. Stepping carefully, the bartender placed the tray on the table, setteling on the love seat. He turned to sit next to her, and she noticed that when he sat on the couch, his weight didn't displace her til the last moment. Ninjas were pretty amazing, alright. She sipped hers, and then smacked her forehead.

"Oh. The mask. Fuck." She clapped a hand over her mouth, embarrassed.

"Naughty mouth, Sakura-chan"! He laughed, then tilted his head at her. There was an awkward silence. Swallowing a mouthful of air, she starred at the shinobi, trying to pick apart the silent message he was sending her. Realization dawned on Sakura, and she gently put down the saucer. Raising trembling hands to his temples, she licked her lips, which had gone dry. He was nearly thrown out of his concentration when he watched the small, pink tongue greedily. "Sakura." His tag-less voice brought her back, his hands pressing over hers. "Listen to me, Sakura."

She nodded, an odd numbness spreading over her. "If...you really do this. If you see my face. It's like a contract," he explained, a bit sadly. "if you want to further this relationship...Sakura, remember what I am."

"You're Naruto."

"No," he said sternly. "Not who. What. I'm a ninja, Sakura. And not only that, an ANBU Captain. I'm as much ninja you can get, outside of being the Hokage...", and then he added darkly, "which I will be some day."

"I don't care," she whispered, almost angrily. His large hands closed around hers.

"You will. Sakura. Sakura listen to me. I'm a killer. Not even two hours ago, I killed four people." She froze in place, starring at his hands, and wondering how the things holding her so gently now could be used to rip peoples throats out. Her throat was beginning to hurt from trying not to cry. "He was begging and screaming for mercy. And I killed him. I slashed his throat, and walked away without even thinking about it." His voice was getting faster, and she could sense some sort of inner battle going on.

"I...can't say I don't care," she began softly. "But...do I? Am I awful? All I know is that I'm almost obsessed with you." Sakura smiled weakly. He sighed, though it sounded more like acknowledgement than frustration.

"I...you...yeah. Me to." He stated. "But remember, Sakura. Once this mask comes off, you could find yourself in some very, very fucked up situations. Fast."

The pink-haired woman found the silky red ribbons that held the mask to his head. "I'm always in a fucked up situation. Remember? Even inanimate objects are deadly around me." She giggled, but he didn't return the laughter. Finally, slowly, he released his grip on her hands.

This is it. She reached around him, and he was rewarded with soft breasts in his face. For once, though, it wasn't on his mind. Not really. She undid the knot, letting the ribbons fall. She pulled them from behind his ears, and, with a deep breath, lifted the mask from his face.

Gorgeous. The word burst into her mind like fireworks. A beautiful, easy, youthful face, complimented with honey-tan skin and bright blue eyes. The overall sweetness of his appearance bellied the darkness seething beneath the surface. He smiled, showing perfect white teeth. He was handsome, but not in the tacky way. He had such a gentle air about him, a youthful, bubbling energy-- unlike the snotty models in the magazines Ino oogled. Carefully, she placed a hand on his cheek, making sure he was real. Sky-colored eyes closed, and he leaned into her hand. "I've wanted to touch your face for so long," she breathed, feeling stupid. He said nothing, but she saw his chest fill with air.

"Sakura," he sighed. His eyes opened, looking sad but determined. "You may be in trouble, now."

She shrugged. "Baka. That's what I have you for." A wicked grin suddenly flashed across his features, and she felt a trill of fear and exhiliration. Seeing his face was wonderful, especially his shrewd, fox-like grin.

"What if I can't protect you from myself? Then what'll you do?" He inched closer. Her heart beat seemingly against her ribcage.

"Then I'LL kick your ass." She threatened, raising her fists. He caught one in his hand, swallowing it completely.

"I believe you, don't worry," he teased, and then used his free hand to draw her closer to him, press her up against his torso. The blonde man grabbed her leg then, bringing it over his waist. She gasped as his mouth found hers again, and he sucked her bottom lip softly, gently asking for entrance. She let him, then moaned in shock as the kiss became rougher, plundering all corners of her mouth. He broke it, placing tiny kisses along her neck and above her collarbone.

"No fair, you were--".

"The esscence of a shinobi is deceit, Sakura-chan," he chirped, pinching her bottom playfully. She yelped, flushed, and engaged the kiss this time. He returned it eagerly, crushing her small body to his. Soon, his tongue had wandered to where her boat-neck shirt stopped, and where the tops of her breasts peaked out. Slowly, he ran his tongue there, liking her squirming in his lap. She breathed his name, and his tongue turned into open mouthed kisses back up to her face, where he bit at her ear playfully. "You smell good."

"Better than bad?" She pondered aloud, stretching her hands up over her head without realizing the effect she was having on the shinobi. Inner Sakura would have objected, but was too busy touching herself or something. His blue eyes sharpened, and his fingers tapped her collarbone.

"I-I can't do this." He mumbled, drawing his head back from her collar. She mumbled in dissapointment, her big green eyes filled with confusion. It turned to hurt. Sakura hung her head, feeling self-conscious. More than she already was, at least.

"D-did I do something wrong?" She mumbled.

"No. But it's moving too fast, you're right. We should be...um...," he blushed, reaching beside himself to grab her shirt. The ANBU kissed the swell of her right breast once, before pushing her arms into the shirt, buttoning it up securely. Sakura remained silent, numb feeling. He took her face in his large hands, brushing her lips with his. "I'm sorry. I got out of control, and you were hurt by it."

"W-was not"! She pouted. "I-I may not be experienced, but I AM an adult," she fumed, reluctantly pulling herself off his leg, stumbling slightly when the backs of her knees hit the table. He almost rose to meet her, but stopped, when he felt her small hand press against his temple. "I-I don't want your pity. I don't need it. I'm stronger than that." He was silent, his luminous eyes shadowed.

"I'm sorry, then. But I didn't think you were weak," he smiled brightly at her. "You know, I hang out around a lot of strong people. But I was attracted to you because you were...hmm," his brow furrowed in thought. "Strong in a different way, I guess." The trembling had died down, after her encounter with hormones. It threatened to start again. She found no words, biting her thumb nervously. Flinching, she pulled it away, realizing she had bit so deeply a small stream of blood had flowed from the incision. Frustrated, she moved to suck on it, but stopped when she felt Naruto rise swiftly, taking it in his own mouth, sucking gently. His blues eyes never left her own startled emerald gaze, the focused orbs of a hunter. She really did tremble again this time, sighing in defeat as she used the other hand to thread her fingers through his hair. Finally, after what seemed a sweet eternity, he released her digit and turned back to the table, grabbing his mask.

"I need to cool down...I think both of us do," he laughed, but turned to embrace her, giving her a chaste kiss on her slightly sweaty forehead. She let him, sighing into his neck. Ah, would this giddyness ever stop? His index finger traced down her bare shoulder, before he lifted the mask to face. Wordlessly, she took the ties from his fingers and tied it behind his head. He let her, though she couldn't read his expression. "Goodnight, Sakura-chan."

"G-goodnight, Naruto-kun. A-and," she began to feel stupid again, "You'll come back, right? Not to sound clingy, but uh--".

"Silly onna! Of course," he shook his fist, then after what seemed to be a moment of thought, he reached into his pouch, and dug out a kunai. "This is my favorite kunai. It saved my ass a lot when I was a trainee." She eyed the deadly object, noting the heavy-looking dark metal's many scratch marks. "I want you to keep it in a safe place."

She took it carefully in her hands, holding it point-away from herself. "You know," he started. "Sakura-chan would have been a good medic-nin." She sweatdropped.

"MEDIC...nin?"

"Hai, hai. They heal wounds, almost like field surgeons," he explained. She smiled.

"Actually, when I have enough money, I want to go to nursing scool. Obstetrics."

He sweatdropped. "Ob-ob--_nani."_

"Um, babies...pregnant women," she blushed. He clapped, more of that child-like glee shining through.

"That's perfect for Sakura-chan!"

She tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, and opened her mouth to say something. It was interupted by the strong thrum of her old grandfather clock, telling both of them it was 3 AM.

"Ahhh, chikuso. We'll talk tommorow, Sakura-chan," he said, rushing into his sweater. "I have a report to do on my mission and I got distracted." She turned scarlet. "Not like that's your fault-only half," he ran his hands through her hair one last time. "I'll be back tommorow night, even if I'm not at the Aotsuki. I have stuff to do." She smiled, nodded. He cranked open the window, climbing out onto the ledge easily. She held her breath as he turned and waved at her.

"Ki o tsuketeee"! She called at his retreating form, as he seemingly blinked from sight. Carefully clutching the kunai to her chest, she walked ascended the stairs to her loft, opening her bedside drawer and cautiously depositing it there, among old romance novels and, ironically, an unopened package of condoms. They had been a gag gift from Ino. That's pretty pathetic, when condoms are a GAG gift.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, starring at the couch where...stuff...had happened, Sakura began to realize, fully, what had just happened. Taking a deep breath, the bartender curled up into the fetal posistion, and giggled herself to sleep.

AN: I know, also a bit shorter. In fact hella short, for those reading the FF.N version. I really edited out a lot of the, uh...raunchy (shifty) parts. Yeah. Sorry, but I don't wanna be killed. Even if this is rated M, it was pretty heavy. Nothing below the belt. Let's just say Naruto stopped a bit later than he does in the FF.N version. XD

REVIEWS, DAMN YOU ALL. Thanks for the immensely nice feedback, to. x3


	4. Lost

Kissing the Fox  
By: Lady Yami

AN: Starting this before I even post chapter three. I've wanted to write this scene for a long time. XD Maybe you can guess who the mysterious ANBU that rescues Sakura is now. Took me a while to decide. Lol.

I am realy deeply sorry for how long this took, but like I said my laptop died one night and I had to re-write. I checked into my stats and an incredibly amount of people had it on alert/favorites, and I realized I was letting people down. I know there are fics I wait months for updates on, and they never come. So big apologies, and here's a big chapter.

Disclaimer: Don't own Naruto. Wish I owned a horny-naked-Kakashi-covered-in-whip-creame-on-a-water-bed-with-booze. Oh yes I do. ;.;

x x x X x x x

It hurt. It hurt so bad. 

The cold seeped through her skin, dragging along her bones, pulling them raw and numb. Her teeth chattered, her eyes watered in fast-freezing tears. The snow was deep; up to her knees. She waded through it, tripping occasionally when her foot caught on a hidden rock. The urge to close her eyes and lay down was incessant, tearing at her bleary mind. Her skin hurt. Her eyes hurt. The girl's pink hair was in icicles, just above her shoulders. Twice now they had scraped a thin line of blood across her ivory cheek. It had frozen long ago. Swallowing hurt. Breathing hurt, even. It was like swallowing something ice-cold and thorned. She had stopped crying after the first hour, stopped yelling for help. She needed her energy. Heaving one dry sob, Haruno Sakura stopped in a clearing, trying to get her bearings.

Follow the Northern Star. That's what everyone said. In books and movies and even her parents. There were inummerable stars, reflected white and bright in her dulling green eyes. She couldn't discern them. Sniffling once, she looked around. Dark. Trees faded into dark, and then more trees. She hated it. What's worse, she had to be lost in this forest. The woods had long since kept her awake at night. Moreso when she was young, but even now, she still shuddered when thinking of them.

Most people called it the Shinobi Wood. Because, somewhere, in this threatening forest, was the Konoha--the hidden village of the ninja of the leaf. Everyone knew about the ninjas. Of course civilians did. They were their main source of income. Sakura had seen a few of the genins--the rookies. They seemed like regular kids to her. Fast, stupid, and boastful. They stopped and looked at magazines, shopped around for music, ate fast food, showed off, talked with her about video games and celebrities. A few even flirted bashfully. The ones in the woods, though, her mother said, were dangerous.

The Missing-Nin.

Even before she had known exactly what they were, the term alone scared her so much she had clung to her mother's thigh. It was a night a few years ago. Her dad was napping on the couch, her mother stirring something on the stove. The kitchen was warm, a soft butter and beige room that was comforting with its smells of food and her mother. She clung around her mother's thigh, as usual, her head resting on her waist.

'The Konoha nin that come into town won't hurt you, Sakura-chan', the woman had sighed, after the pink-haired girl explained her fear of them. 'The Konoha are our allies. It's the ones from other villages that you have to watch out for...or the Missing-Nin.'

Wide green eyes had caught her mother's then. The woman brushed a bubblegum strand out of her child's face, then returned to her cooking. 'They're not like the Konoha, or even the enemy village nin. They have no place, Sakura. They wander about, killing. Some of them leave the village of their own accord, for money or power or whatnot. The other ones are expelled. It may be because they killed someone they shouldn't have, or attempted a mutiny. Either way, most will show no mercy.'

She clung tighter, urging her mother for more. 'How do I know which are which?' She asked. The woman smiled, and showed her daughter her oven mitt. She immediatley recognized the swirl-leaf pattern.

'This it the mark of the Konoha nin. Anyone else you should run from, Sakura-chan. And...' She took the spoon out, dragging a red line of tomato sauce along the leaf. It looked a bit too much like blood for her. 'Missing-Nin have slashes across their headbands. Most wear masks, to.'

The nine year old took a deep breath. 'But Sakura-chan shouldn't have any problems with any ninja, so long as she stays out of the Shinobi Wood.' She ruffled her child's hair affectionately.

Right. And who'd want to go into that wood, anyway? Creepy, dark, and foreboding--even in the summer. And of course there were the things in the dark, masked and apathetic--lost souls with a thirst for blood. Even scarier were the fabled ANBU squad, what some described as blurs of soulless masked eyes and dark fabric. No siree bob, she'd stay out of there like a good girl, no questions asked.

Flash forward two years later, and the same girl was trudging through the snow, hypothermia already creeping up her legs. Her favorite ribbon, a soft, buttery-yellow thing, was somewhere in there. It had taken about ten minutes of being out in the woods to realize that it was an idiotic mistake. Ino, in one of her crueler moments, had managed to fasten it to a very, very unfortunate rodent. Figures. Already, her innocent mind was slowly beginning to attach the word "bitch" to the other girl. They hadn't quite been friends back then, and this would be a very important reason why.

Thus far, there had been nothing. That shoud have been alarming enough to her. No bird song. No owls. No chipmunks or weasels, the usual wildlife of the Fire Country. It was just so...

Empty.

Giant black trees swept upwards towards a cloud-heavy sky, wisps circling a luminous full moon. She whimpered, trying to push all the scary stories out of her head--Missing-Nin included. Her rationality kicked in moments later, in the form of a young Inner Sakura.

_'S-so? W-what the heck would a big, scary Missing-Nin want with you? I mean, c'mon. Unless you tie a Konoha forehead protector to your huge forehead and running around screaming obscenities'.  
_  
"I don't KNOW any obscenities," the girl mumbled.

_'S-s-skunk? Is that one?'  
_  
Sighing, Sakura pulled her hood tighter, to an almost uncomfortable degree. It was so quiet. The crisp smell of fresh snow permeated the air, as well as the faint smell of her mother's perfume if she put her nose inside her coat. She inhaled deeply, trying to picture her mother. What would she be doing now? Probably sleeping. She had snuck out. She had to get home though. Had to. She took her eyes away from her feet, swallowed a mouthful of frigid air--and walked right into someone. There was a soft _pluff _sound as she hit the snow.

Uh. Oh.

Sure enough, there was indeed a masked man standing in front of her. She assumed man. Completely clothed in a dark, dark gray and towering above her, this man seemed like death itself. Out of nowhere, four more appeared behind him, kneeling carefully. A wind rustled the dead leaves far above her, and it was completely silent. Her heartbeat began thrumming in her ears, her breathing deep and slow. She realized she was passing out, from fear and exhaustion.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the lead man knelt. "Lost, are we"? The voice asked. It was smooth and low, a pleasing tenor. She nodded numbly, biting her thumb. It was a habit that began that moment and would follow her for the rest of her life.

I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. She stood defiant, small fists clenched at her side. _'I won't die a coward,'_ she thought to herself. There was a brief series of mumbles, and what she later deciphered as a chuckle from the four people behind the leader.

"That's actually a kid, isn't it?" One of them said aloud, a voice laced with amusement and concern, and possible disappointment. The other three broke out in exasperated laughter.

"Kawaii," the one to the right purred. "Poor thing. Why are you out here?"

She was confused. Her eyes darted from nin to nin, before she finally opened her mouth, her frustration evident in her young voice. "You aren't missing nin?! You aren't gonna kill me?!" The four behind the leader really did howl in laughter now.

"No, no. Look dear. Look closer." She was confused, but focused on the person in front of her, who hadn't said anything else. She realized, quite suddenly, what the man wanted her to see. Over the soul-less looking dog mask was a forehead protector. The Konoha leaf-swirl was engraved cleanly in the unblemished metal, catching silver and blue in the moonlight, warping the reflection of her and the trees. Tentatively, she reached out to touch it. The man didn't move. She withdrew her hand, looking at the squad in front of her again.

"We are the Konoha ANBU squad, missy," one added. "It's our job to take on the biggest, meanest people around...Definitely not poor little civilian girls lost in the woods in the middle of the night." This earned another snort of laughter.

"O-oh...," she mumbled, embarrassed. The blood flew to her cheeks. Then, digging her foot into the ground and looking down, she added shyly, "S-sorry I'm in your woods, ninja-san. I know I shoulda got pe-permission, b-but I-Ino caught a squirrel and attached my favorite r-ribbon to his foot." She finished demurely, then giggled anyway when one of the ANBU downright howled in hysterics, banging a fist on the ground.

"Y-you poor thing!" He snorted, his laughs dying.

"Hontou ni MOU," she grumped, kicking a bit of snow at the offending ninja. "It's my favorite! Ino's so mean"! The ninja let the snow hit him. The leader cleared his throat. Another chill wind brought Sakura back to reality, and she shivered, her teeth chattering.

"She's freezing, taichou," number three said. "Where are you from, missy?"

Sakura looked to him. "The Fire Country." This earned another snort, and she rolled her eyes. "No, I'm from WAVE country, I walked out here to get lost in the woods because I LIKE wandering around cold and confused," the eleven year old fumed sarcastically. The entire squad laughed yet again, even the stoic leader. She got serious, looking down. "I-I'm from Hidou. It's just south of here. I snuck out to look for my ribbon."

The leader nodded. "We haven't seen anything like that, sorry...," he said slowly. She looked crestfallen. "But we'll keep a lookout." He finished. She smiled up at him. Carefully, he undid the tie around his sweater-coat, and peeled it off. Definitely a man. Tallish and lithe, and she noticed he didn't shiver. He draped it around her shoulders, and she flushed anyway.

"Y-you don't have to. You'll catch cold." She said pointedly. The ANBU shook his head "no". He put his back to her, and she noticed the other nin rise. "Let's go home, missy."

Confused, she clambered onto his back. His hands came up under her butt, and she gently looped her arms around his neck. She noticed a long, black ponytail, and carefully pushed it out of pulling range. "I-I'm sorry for causing you trouble," she said softly. The heat from his back was such a welcome relief she thought she might cry. 

"Nandemonai," he said softly. He turned to his men. "I'm taking the girl home. It's on the way of our patrol route anyway." They nodded. Sakura barely felt it when they began to move, gliding through the woods like ghosts. On the man's back, she felt safe and secure, in a bubble that nobody could touch her in. The woods seemed less threatening, no longer filled with monsters or shadow. She began to appreciate the subtle beauty of black trees on white snow. Sakura was awake at first, to note how deeply she had walked into the woods.

"A good four miles," one of the nin gliding alongside them said. "We noticed you about half an hour before we said anything to ya. We weren't sure if you were someone using a little girl disguise, but...You were moving real slow n' real awkward." He chuckled. Sakura blushed, laying her cheek against the captain's back.

"We're real impressed you weren't crying. So brave," another one added. Sakura sighed, sleepiness already overtaking her. "However, are you aware that you talk to yourself. And that you're a smartass?"

She went scarlet. Stupid inner self.

'_Not my fault we're dumb,'_ said inner self chimed.

"We're almost home, mis--".

"Sakura. Haruno Sakura," she said.

"Sakura-chan, we're almost home."

The words fell on deaf ears. She had fallen asleep, fists clenched in his shirt, his sweater still draped over her tiny shoulders. The last impression she had of him were red eyes starring over his shoulder at her, something like a frustrated concern in them.

"We've lost her, Uchiha-taichou," one chuckled.

"Have we really, now?"

x x x X x x x

Ino was in a bad mood. "Bleugh," the blonde woman muttered. It was Friday night, their busiest. "Not sure if I can take this stress." Sakura turned to study her best friend, noting the sort of listless way she went about the bar. A pink eyebrow rose.

"Oh...on the rag?" She giggled. Ino flushed, whirling to smack her friend on the ass with a towel. Sweatdropping, she nodded. "Take some Midol and take a breather, I'll watch your ass."

"Reallllllly, Sakura?" Ino giggled, and hugged her friend. "Okay. I'm gonna go grab some stuff at home and lay down for an hour. I'll be back." Kissing her friend on the cheek, she ran out of the bar, not even bothering with her sweater. It was such a warm, balmy night out it would have been stupid.

"Miss, a Becks please"! A man called from one end of the bar. Sighing, Sakura sweatdropped. It was gonna be a long night. Even Inner Sakura was mumbling in exasperation.

_'But think of the tip money'!_ She hooted. This gave the bartender courage, and she cheerfully attended to her patrons. Over the tumult of music and voices, she listened and watched carefully for Naruto. No sign yet.

It was around eleven that most people had cleared out, tipping their hats to her for having "held up the fort" for so long on her own. Stupid Ino, taking off like that. Even if she didn't feel good. The last customers were a man and his friends, who were seated in the corner. In the other end of the bar, two quiet figures were talking softly to themselves in a corner. Ino had waited on them, so she had no idea what they drank. It was easy to judge someone on their booze, normally. She paid them no mind. The bar technically didn't close til midnight. What did she care, if they enjoyed themselves? She had things to do, and they had been quiet.

It was about ten minutes after she decided they were harmless that one came behind the counter.

"Hey. Behind the counter is MY world, mister," she grumbled, pointing towards the little door that separated the counter from the rest of the bar.

The figures in the back of the bar watched the unfolding situation with a cold interest. One appeared to move his mouth, quietly gesturing to the woman about to hit someone on the head with a plate.

"Kisame."

Meanwhile, Sakura was plotting murder. "Sure I can't be a part of it?" He smiled, trying to sound suggestive. Sakura sighed, more than used to drunken idiots. He was about to take the prize, though. Smiling, she was raising a plate to smack him with at the exact moment his hand shot towards her breast. He slumped, quite suddenly. And then she realized that someone else had come behind the counter. An incredibly tall man, with rather scary shark eyes.

Gulp.

"J-Jeeze, thanks. I was about to plate-smack him to hell." The man nodded, gliding silently back to the table.

"O-oh shit, Ryou"! One of the men from the other table came, dragging his friend out of the enclosure. The other followed soon after, both mumbling apologies so fast they were incomprehensible.

"He's not a bad guy, really. Just a fucking idiot once he's drunk, ya know?" One apologized. He dropped a fifty on the counter. They left quickly, the door slamming behind. Sakura walked around the edge of the counter, slumping onto a stool once they were gone. Much as she had the situation in control, her heart was still beating fast.

Sighing and clutching her shirt, she rummaged around in the front of her apron for a napkin to dab the sweat off her forehead. Her fingers touched something cool and silky. Puzzled, she pulled out the black handkerchief of the black-eyed man. Dabbing her forehead with it, she made a mental note to wash it when she got home. There was a soft rustle of fabric, and the two men came up to the bar to pay. The tall one reached out from under his cloak and deposited a crisp twenty.

"Change?"

"None, thank you," the tall one rumbled. She smiled, and turned to the other one. Shock coursed through her veins. Red eyes. The same as...His eyes widened as well, though just briefly.

Her throat went dry, and she realized she felt like she knew him from somewhere. Then, of course--two places. The woods, and the night before. It wasn't the same person though. The man from the night before looked far too young. And this guy seemed to look like he never slept, from what portion of his face wasn't concealed behind a high collar. Softly, she uttered his title.

"Ta..taichou?"

Shark man went rigid, looking to his boss. Itachi, to, had tightened up. "Haruno Sakura."

She nodded, trying to calm her breathing. "D-do you remember me? Y-you saved me, once. When I got lost in the woods, when I was small...". He titled his head at her, red eyes focused sharply on her.

"Hair ribbon girl."

"Y-yes"! She smiled breathlessly. "I was eleven!" She laughed. Realization came crashing rudely down upon her then. ANBU. ANBU was a ninja. Ninja most likely didn't want to be found out. "Uh-uh oops. Um, I didn't see you. Have a good day, person I don't know"! She sweatdropped, turning around. He touched her shoulder, turning her around.

"It's fine, that you saw us." He blinked, then ever so slowly, like social interaction was difficult. "How are you?"

"Okay," she smiled. "Started up a bar with the same girl who sent my ribbon into the woods. She's home feeling a bit crappy, so I decided to finish up here for the night," she rambled, polishing her glass. Though she was overjoyed to actually meet him, there was something very off about him. While it wasn't the downright aggression she had felt from the other man, there was something deep down telling her to run. Some old fear was bubbling up. She told herself it was just a reminder of that horrible night in the woods. They chatted idly, about her growing up, and her starting the bar. He listened quietly, never putting anything in. When she asked him questions about his own life, he kept quiet, never revealing more than the tiniest details. It was one by the time she decided to close up. It was a hot night, spring quickly shifting into balmy summer. She fumbled around, drawing out the black handkerchief. It was swept out of her hands quickly, and she found herself looking at the red-eyed man, inspecting it closely.

He reached across the bar, grabbing Sakura's collar. "Something you wanna tell us about this?" He hissed. She trembled, but grabbed his arm. His grip was like a vice, no matter how vainly she pulled at his fingers.

"I-I hurt my head the other day. A customer saw and helped me," she shifted uncomfortably, pointing to the now mostly-faded line where the wound had been. She took a deep breath. "C-Come to think of it...he looked a lot like you." He released his grip on her, but he tucked the handkerchief tightened.

"Sasuke," he said low, then unsnapped his collar, revealing his face.

"Brothers," she said breathlessly. He nodded. "A-are you looking for him?"

"Yes we are, Sakura-chan," he said softly. He turned to the tall man. "I'm Uchiha Itachi, and this is Kisame." She glanced to the shark man, who smiled at her, scary as all hell. Itachi turned back to her. "I'll be coming here from now on, once in a while. Tell me if you see him again. He's dangerous."

She nodded. Kisame smiled eerily then. "Suffice to say, missy, it would be a bad idea to tell anyone else we were here."

She nodded, biting her thumb. "You could loose a limb or three," Kisame rumbled. Itachi said nothing, pulling his collar back up.

"See you next week, Sakura-chan," he drawled, and they stepped out the door. It wasn't until they were gone, and Sakura was standing white-knuckled and pale that she realized both of them had had slashes through their headbands.

Oh, shit.

x x x X x x x

Seeing Naruto sitting on her couch, eating ramen, was about the best thing in the world. He looked perfectly comfortable, slurping ramen and a soda, thoroughly enjoying Mad TV re-runs. He blinked up at her.

"Bout time, Sakura-chan. Come sit and watch TV with me."

She quirked an eyebrow, hoping her trembling had died down significantly. He put down the ramen cup, turning to eye her. She starred carefully at him. "Uh...sorry to just intrude like that. I was on a mission and starving...and, I'll reimburse yo--". She threw her arms around his neck, nuzzling his shoulder. "Hey, hey? What's wrong?" He said softly, bringing his arms around her. Breathing deeply into his neck, she opened her mouth--and stopped.

_'BAKA!!'_ Inner Sakura squealed_. 'Why don't you just tell an ANBU that you were just threatened by two Missing-Nin?! You'd get him or them or BOTH killed. Assholes or not, they can't be complete jerks. He DID save you, dummy. Plus, knowing that idiot, he'd do something stupid like run off to find them right now'!  
_  
"S-someone tried to grab me tonight. I was scared," she whispered, leaving out the ninja part completely. In retrospect, it was probably a bad idea telling him this, to. His muscles tensed under her, before relaxing. A deadly light had crept into his eyes, twinkling blue gone steely.

"Who." It was a statement, not a question. She smiled nervously, running her hands through his hair.

"Just some d-d-runk, Naruto-kun," she stuttered. "H-he had to much too drink and came behind the counter. Tried to grab my boob, so I hit him on the head with a plate"! She laughed, realizing how funny the situation must have looked, and wishing Ino had been there to see it. He didn't laugh with her, still looking very blank and very angry. "Y-you should have seen me, Naruto-kun. I could have given YOU a run for your money," she laughed, throwing a mocking punch. He caught it quietly, before kissing her pulse, his eyes still focused somewhere behind her.

She tilted her head at him. "Nani?"

"E-eh? Nothing, Sakura-chan," his eyes softened again, and he kissed her. She giggled, flushing.

"You taste like ramen," she laughed, kissing him again. He went a bit pink in the cheeks, but rewarded her with another fox grin.

"There are worse things. Be grateful you met me now. Took me until fourteen to develop regular bathing habits," he said cheerily. She sweatdropped, raising an eyebrow.

"Ewwww, I trust you have now?"

"Do I smell?" He made a bird face. "I just got back from a mission, so I may reek." She sniffed him tentatively. It was his turn to sweatdrop. "Did you just sniff me?"

"Maybe."

He laughed anyway, kissing her forhead. "Wanna go for a walk? You seem a bit flushed."

She nodded, letting him take her hand. They strolled out the apartment together and into the night air, chatting idly about this and that. Apparently his parents died when he was young, leaving him an orphan. He was partially taken care of by his teacher Iruka, and then later on his trainer Kakashi, both of which he was still very close to.

"You'd probably really like Iruka. But Kakashi is such a flake he's irritating," the ANBU laughed, his arm looped around Sakura's waist as they walked. "However, he's one of the strongest nin ever. He trained under the fourth Hokage, as well," he said, though some odd emotion flashed across his blue eyes. They were a good mile beyond the town limits now, into the winding paths that surrounding the lake. There were plenty of little wooden bridges to pass over the random little rivers that webbed the countryside. Her troubles at the bar temporarily forgotten, she turned to the blonde, looking mischievous.

"Oh? You must be really strong, then." He quirked an eyebrow, looking haughty. He smiled, his hand behind his head.

"Catch me if you can"!. She giggled, and took off running. Oh, but he could.

AN: THERE I UPDATED. RUNS OFF SCREAMING


End file.
